On Monday, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) announced that Ruth Evans has been appointed as the new chair of the Gambling Commission, succeeding Charles Counsell. Counsell took over the position in February 2025, following the exit of Marcus Boyle in January of the same year.
Effective September 30, Evans will begin a five-year term in her new role. She is currently the chair of Stop Scams UK, a platform she established in 2019 that works to unite banks, technology firms, and telecom companies in the fight against payment fraud. The DCMS praised Evans's extensive experience in public protection and financial crime prevention.
Her previous leadership roles include chairing the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) and the Bar Standards Board, as well as serving as a lay member of the General Medical Council. Additionally, Evans was a non-executive director at the Serious Fraud Office and led a steering group for a voluntary industry code that was created in 2018 to reimburse victims of authorised push payment (APP) scams.
As Counsell prepares to leave, he noted that the Gambling Commission is in the process of developing a new strategy and intensifying its efforts to combat illegal gambling. Evans is expected to take a key role in consolidating the measures outlined in the white paper resulting from the Gambling Act review.
Evans expressed her commitment to improving "online safety" through "proportional regulation with partnership and shared responsibility" among regulators, industry players, and technology companies. DCMS Secretary of State Lisa Nandy remarked that Evans assumes the chairmanship at a critical time, emphasizing the need for a sustainable and thriving industry supported by essential protections to prevent harm.
This leadership change comes amid broader restructuring at the regulator, as Tim Miller, the policy and research director, is also set to leave after a decade in the position.
